Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

[Boilermaker]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

I would like to point out that when compairing I.O. HP to Outboard HP, you must also compare their weight!
The weight of a 300 HP chunk of iron bolted below deck + the weight of the outdrive makes it an apples to oranges comparison.
I agree that unless its a diesel>>>the modern outboard is POUND FOR POUND, the most efficiant powerplant.

Now you just need to finance that new E-tec :%

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

your right boiler about comparing the two hp wise. If you are going to compare hp, you would need to compare say... a 150 v-6 2 stroke to a 220 h.p 4.3 MPI v-6 or a carburated 220 hp 5.0 v-8. ...not a little 3 liter I-4 135 hp. my bet is that on the same boat, you would get very similar performance...

 

[Mark42]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

One nice aspect of o/b is if you buy a nice new o/b for your aging boat, then a year or two later, ditch the boat, it is easy to bring the outboard to a new or newer boat.

Although the same can be done with an i/o, it is not as universal or as easy.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Doing your own engine maintenance?
Outboard you can stand up straight...inboard you need some contortionistic skills.

Fishing? Inboard takes up valuable space otherwise useful for livewells, baitwells, other gear.

Partying? Outboard might interfere with deck space otherwise useful for bikini babes.

And don't forget...with an outboard everybody can see how big yours is...

 

[calwldlif]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

A Texan knows8)

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Quote And don't forget...with an outboard everybody can see how big yours is...
jtexas

8) Iv'e always liked the eye opening response when then power is really displayed.....:devil: there usally speechless..........lololololololol........

 

[hiflyer]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Ob and the sea ray better boat, better for general use.
I/O usto be IO on my I/o. New 4stroke,ect. Obs get the gas milage down by inboards. Weigh less. No rotting exh manifolds, if used in salt, burnt thru rubber exh hoses ect. . It was said in past 115 ob equal to 130 IO reason weight in stern. I/o harder to work on. Have had both. Best of the bunch straight inboard anyday. draws to much. So you settle.

 

[QC]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Racer57,

A lot of good advice here, and I know this wasn't your question, but I would not buy new!!! Buy a little older either way and then you'll figure out what you really want. OB for some stuff, I/O for others.

I absolutely love OBs, but for the type of boating my family likes an I/O is more comfortable . . . You'll know more what you actually want/need with some time on the water.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

[quote ]If you are going to compare hp, you would need to compare say... a 150 v-6 2 stroke to a 220 h.p 4.3 MPI v-6 my bet is that on the same boat, you would get very similar performance. [/quote]

Been there done that.

I ran a 175 hp v-6 2 stroke against a buddies 220 h.p 4.3 MPI v-6 across a 7 miles wide stretch of open, rough water and it wasn’t even close. Too much iron in the back of the I/O which caused the boat to plow instead of getting up on top of the chop. Tabs may have helped him some but not anywhere enough to make it competative.

 

[iron21]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

if your going to be doing any boating activities such as tubing or wake boarding an I/0, no question... try tubing behind an o/b for the day and you'll feel real nice with exhaust/oil being blown in your face and into your lungs...

 

[jaymasta]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

if your going to be doing any boating activities such as tubing or wake boarding an I/0, no question... try tubing behind an o/b for the day and you'll feel real nice with exhaust/oil being blown in your face and into your lungs...

I have tubed behind both for years, and have never really noticed a diferance beside the wake is quite a bit bigger in the I/O, maybe becuase its a bigger boat maybe not, but I defiantly do not notice any kind of exhaust oil being blown in my face at all, Iam also dealing with much newer engines but still...

 

[KM2]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

I have a 180 horizon and have a i/o. I wouldn't buy either boat with a outboard. Don't like how they look or what they do to the rear deck. A 4.3 has good power, efficient and is quiet. The maintiance and winterizing isn't that bad, I learned how to do it myself and zip through it in no time now.

A new boat with a 4 stroke out board or etec would be nice, in a 150hp version it would be comparable in performance, effieciency and noise to a 4.3 but I think those motors cost alot compared to what you would pay for a sea ray/fourwinns with a i/o.

Kevin

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

if your going to be doing any boating activities such as tubing or wake boarding an I/0, no question... try tubing behind an o/b for the day and you'll feel real nice with exhaust/oil being blown in your face and into your lungs...

I consistantly tube behind one boat: a glastron with a 2005 carburated 150 v-6 2 stroke and i can hardly ever smell the exhaust unless were at idle speed. Normally, were going fast enough(20-30 mph) to have too much fresh air overtake the smells of exhaust. I think you should try tubing behind one of these outboards and i bet you would be suprised. Maybe you had a bad experience or you havent try to at all, but for me, i have a completely different experience than what you discribed.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Since this thread is sorta alive, and I haven't chimed in....

I/O motors are cheaper to buy do to the mass production of the basic engine blocks by GM and Ford. Mercruiser may also plan to make some $ back in maintenance, since I estimated that the difference in cost of maintenance parts only (no labor cost) is $300/year higher with the I/O. The bottom line on I/Os is that they are not as "tough" as the OBs, and stuff just breaks (alternator, starter, thermostat, belts, circulating pump) or wears out (manifolds and risers, thermo housings, pulleys).

However, I think you need to match the type of power to the boat style. A cruiser can carry a single or twin I/O underneath the deck. You cannot beat that setup. A smaller boat with an I/O has a motor box, to get in the way or worse yet, a short (tripper) kind of motor box. You need to consider an OB for those applications. I do not think most of us recreational boaters spend enough in fuel to significantly discount the effect of original cost, maintenance cost and most of all convenience of the OB in the smaller boat and the IO in the cruiser.

 

[Almeja]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

My 2 Cents:

Primarily Freshwater
Towing Watertoys/Wakeboard/Skiing
Mostly trailered (not moored for extended periods)
Then get an I/O

Primarily Salt or Considerable Saltwater use
Mostly Fishing, some watertoy use.
Moored for extended periods. (nothing to leak below waterline)
Then get an Outboard.

 

[jastacey]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

My advice is what kind of deal your getting?, bottem line is ,if your not turning your own wrenches, your going to pay one way or another, any boat over 19-20 foot is going to most likely have and I/O, if you go the I/O route, get a V-8!, the reason is a V-6 will run at a higher RPM thatn a V-8 at the same plaing speed, lower RPMS= longer engine life, salt water boat = $$$$$ on manifolds every 3-4 years

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Value is probably what the debate center's around,and trying to get two people to arrive at the same conclusion is next to impossible. For myself if money had no value or i could justify the investment sure a outboard would be the way to go.

It does offer more flexibility, more preformance and you have to admit the exhaust note @ wot does provide a certain primal :devil: satisfaction along with eaiser and less maintance.

But all those wonderful features go right out the door if you price a 200hp outboard with a boat and then see what can be had for the same money in a inboard.

I guess it would be eaiser to get bat's to fly in formation than it would be to get a group of people to all come to the same conclusion as to value........8)

As i thought, not even close to a formation.


My fellow boater's (little Abe there) You get what you pay for, can this be agreeded upon?

As to price let us throw caurion to the wind. Outboard's are a superior type of engine placement.............................. Now let us factor in the price delta............. 8) That's it war's on.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

Up here in the great white north, I can buy a whole I/O boat for just a little more than the cost of just an outboard.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

[quote ]Up here in the great white north, I can buy a whole I/O boat for just a little more than the cost of just an outboard.[/quote]
I just looked over on a manufacturers website and found that the option price to go from a 130 HP I/O to a 260 HP I/O was $7,500 alone. I just installed a 225 Hp E-Tec for $13K so what does a new 130HP I/O cost? Anything more than $5,500 and the outboard is going to be cheaper

 

[jtexas]

Re: Stern Drive vs. Outboard?

... My fellow boater's (little Abe there) You get what you pay for, can this be agreeded upon?...

actually...in my experience...you don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get. 8)